Here are some interesting links about what is going on now:
Video of the March 1 SLP ICARE forum
MPR article on what is included in the Education Omnibus Bill
Study on Charter Schools
Monday, March 21, 2011
Saturday, February 5, 2011
March 1 - Education Funding and Legislative Forum
We will be having a forum about school funding and what is going on at the Legislature on Tuesday March 1. Sen. Steve Kelley, Sen. Ron Latz, Rep. Steve Simon, Rep. Ryan Winkler, Sen. Terri Bonoff and Mary Cecconi, the Executive Director of Parents United, have confirmed that they will be attending. It will be from 7:00 to 8:30PM in the High School, Room C350.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Star Tribune Education Funding Article
Here is a very interesting article in the Star Tribune about education funding. It underscores the need for groups like ours to advocate for our schools at the legislature.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
2011 Legislative Session Links
A few SLP ICARE members went to the Parents United Legislative Kick-Off earlier this month. Here are the slides to the presentation along with some other pertinent links for this legislative session:
Parents United Legislative Kick-Off Slides
AMSD 2011 Bill Tracker
Hopkins Legislative Action Coalition Platform
Parents United Legislative Kick-Off Slides
AMSD 2011 Bill Tracker
Hopkins Legislative Action Coalition Platform
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Brenda Casselius: Mark Dayton's Choice for Education Commisioner
Mark Dayton has chosen Brenda Casselius to be his Education Commissioner. Here is the press release:
In her 20-year career as a classroom teacher, administrator and superintendent in school systems both in Minnesota and Tennessee, Dr. Brenda Cassellius led reform, redesign and change efforts that put students first, focused on achievement, and have resulted in better outcomes for all students. Dr. Cassellius believes that change can happen quickly if it is purposeful, collaborative, and grounded in effective strategies.
“Dr. Casselius brings proven leadership in education innovation in both Minnesota school districts and in other states,” Governor-elect Dayton said. “Her experience will enable her to bring together the different education stakeholders and policymakers with differing viewpoints to build the consensus that public education in Minnesota has been lacking for too long.”
“This is a great privilege and responsibility,” said Dr. Cassellius. “I look forward to working with Governor-elect Dayton in tackling the challenges facing education in Minnesota, as well as supporting the many things we do well. The Governor-elect and I share a commitment to our state’s children and families, and I am eager to get to work in making a better and stronger school system for every child in Minnesota.”
Dr. Cassellius is currently the Superintendent of the East Metro Integration District, where she leads an achievement agenda with the 10 district superintendents. Previously, as an Associate Superintendent in the Minneapolis Public Schools, she led 19 middle and high schools and was responsible for the implementation of the Minneapolis Secondary Redesign. As the Academic Superintendent of Middle Schools in Memphis Tennessee under the leadership of former Minneapolis Superintendent Dr. Carol Johnson, Dr. Cassellius was responsible for middle school and district reforms that led to accelerated gains and the narrowing of achievement gaps among students in Memphis.
In her 20-year career as a classroom teacher, administrator and superintendent in school systems both in Minnesota and Tennessee, Dr. Brenda Cassellius led reform, redesign and change efforts that put students first, focused on achievement, and have resulted in better outcomes for all students. Dr. Cassellius believes that change can happen quickly if it is purposeful, collaborative, and grounded in effective strategies.
“Dr. Casselius brings proven leadership in education innovation in both Minnesota school districts and in other states,” Governor-elect Dayton said. “Her experience will enable her to bring together the different education stakeholders and policymakers with differing viewpoints to build the consensus that public education in Minnesota has been lacking for too long.”
“This is a great privilege and responsibility,” said Dr. Cassellius. “I look forward to working with Governor-elect Dayton in tackling the challenges facing education in Minnesota, as well as supporting the many things we do well. The Governor-elect and I share a commitment to our state’s children and families, and I am eager to get to work in making a better and stronger school system for every child in Minnesota.”
Dr. Cassellius is currently the Superintendent of the East Metro Integration District, where she leads an achievement agenda with the 10 district superintendents. Previously, as an Associate Superintendent in the Minneapolis Public Schools, she led 19 middle and high schools and was responsible for the implementation of the Minneapolis Secondary Redesign. As the Academic Superintendent of Middle Schools in Memphis Tennessee under the leadership of former Minneapolis Superintendent Dr. Carol Johnson, Dr. Cassellius was responsible for middle school and district reforms that led to accelerated gains and the narrowing of achievement gaps among students in Memphis.
Committee Assignments
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
New Education Committees and Chairs in the Legislature
Here is how Politics In Minnesota describes the new chairs for the Education Committees in the Minnesota House and Senate:
House Education Finance: Pat Garofalo
Entering his fourth term, Garofalo is known around the Legislature as one of the most thoughtful conservative voices on K-12 matters - “not a school-basher, but a genuine innovator,” in the words of one former GOP colleague. Known as a pragmatist, he has better relationships with DFLers than many of his caucus mates.
Garofalo hails from a very conservative party of the Twin Cities suburbs. Early in his legislative career, he drew a GOP challenger who had a base of support among local Republicans despite the fact Garofalo had cast conservative votes on guns and social issues. He weathered the storm and has won re-election by strong margins. Garofalo has a 73 percent lifetime ranking from the Taxpayers League of Minnesota.
House Education Reform: Sondra Erickson
During her previous tenure in the House (1998-2007), Erickson served as vice-chair of K-12 education policy during the last Republican House majority, and counted as her proudest accomplishment the repeal of the state’s Profile of Learning standards. An advocate of local control, she was also known to fulminate against federal No Child Left Behind standards. Erickson is more strident and more doctrinaire than her budget committee counterpart in the House, Pat Garofalo. “She’s a pedagogue,” notes one House source, “and she is always ready to teach everybody what’s what.” Her committee will likely be the venue where legislators resurrect the bill that allows alternative pathways to teacher licensure. The measure has been a priority of the Obama administration. The statewide teacher’s union fiercely opposed the proposal last spring.
Senate Education Budget & Policy: Gen Olson
There were rumblings early in the year that Olson was among the group of long-entrenched GOP moderates in the Senate who were getting a push toward the door. Sens. Dennis Frederickson and Pat Pariseau took the hint and announced their retirement; Olson dealt with the pressures by announcing that her current two-year term - her ninth in a Senate tenure that began in 1983 - would be her last. She thus takes up a critical gavel as a lame duck.
Olson has a rather lonely role in representing the traditionalists in the caucus, a fact that was underscored when she ran for Senate president after the election and lost to Michelle Fischbach. Olson has a long background on Senate K-12 education committees and played a key role in abolishing the State Board of Education. She memorably broke down in tears in 2005 when the DFL-controlled Senate Education Committee voted against confirming controversial Education Commissioner Cheri Pierson Yecke. Insiders say they expect her to be a calming presence on a flashpoint committee in 2011.
House Education Finance: Pat Garofalo
Entering his fourth term, Garofalo is known around the Legislature as one of the most thoughtful conservative voices on K-12 matters - “not a school-basher, but a genuine innovator,” in the words of one former GOP colleague. Known as a pragmatist, he has better relationships with DFLers than many of his caucus mates.
Garofalo hails from a very conservative party of the Twin Cities suburbs. Early in his legislative career, he drew a GOP challenger who had a base of support among local Republicans despite the fact Garofalo had cast conservative votes on guns and social issues. He weathered the storm and has won re-election by strong margins. Garofalo has a 73 percent lifetime ranking from the Taxpayers League of Minnesota.
House Education Reform: Sondra Erickson
During her previous tenure in the House (1998-2007), Erickson served as vice-chair of K-12 education policy during the last Republican House majority, and counted as her proudest accomplishment the repeal of the state’s Profile of Learning standards. An advocate of local control, she was also known to fulminate against federal No Child Left Behind standards. Erickson is more strident and more doctrinaire than her budget committee counterpart in the House, Pat Garofalo. “She’s a pedagogue,” notes one House source, “and she is always ready to teach everybody what’s what.” Her committee will likely be the venue where legislators resurrect the bill that allows alternative pathways to teacher licensure. The measure has been a priority of the Obama administration. The statewide teacher’s union fiercely opposed the proposal last spring.
Senate Education Budget & Policy: Gen Olson
There were rumblings early in the year that Olson was among the group of long-entrenched GOP moderates in the Senate who were getting a push toward the door. Sens. Dennis Frederickson and Pat Pariseau took the hint and announced their retirement; Olson dealt with the pressures by announcing that her current two-year term - her ninth in a Senate tenure that began in 1983 - would be her last. She thus takes up a critical gavel as a lame duck.
Olson has a rather lonely role in representing the traditionalists in the caucus, a fact that was underscored when she ran for Senate president after the election and lost to Michelle Fischbach. Olson has a long background on Senate K-12 education committees and played a key role in abolishing the State Board of Education. She memorably broke down in tears in 2005 when the DFL-controlled Senate Education Committee voted against confirming controversial Education Commissioner Cheri Pierson Yecke. Insiders say they expect her to be a calming presence on a flashpoint committee in 2011.
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